Guided by the 70-Years-On Agenda, the ‘business branch’ of the alliance is invited to join the conversation around the role of arts, of festivals, and our societies today. They add their thinking and reflections to the branch of cities that started the exchanges with EFA under the EFFE Seal for Festival Cities and Regions. The EFFE Seal is continually deepening its exchanges and growing in terms of numbers: The cities of Girona (Spain), Peralada (Spain), Aveiro (Portugal), Marneuli (Georgia), Sagarejo (Georgia), Tartu (Estonia), Varna (Bulgaria) and Veliko Tarnovo (Bulgaria) will sign their commitment to the EFFE Seal at the occasion of the Arts Festivals Summit.

The EFFE Seal for Festival Cities and Regions was launched during the Arts Festivals Summit 2022 in Yerevan by 7 founding cities (Belgrade, Bergen, Edinburgh, Gent, Krakow, Leeuwarden, Ljubljana)  that nowadays compose the Festival Cities Steering Group. Since then, many cities have shown interest in joining this initiative and associate and integrate their development and image to a strong cultural commitment. 

A stocktaking moment launching the participation of the business community and of cities signing the EFFE Seal for Festivals Cities and Regions in Europe's Festival Alliance. With:

• Pere Torrent, Mayor of Peralada
• Video from Natàlia Garriga Ibáñez, Minister of Culture of the Government of Catalonia
• Edgar Garcia, Director of the ICEC, Institut Català de les Empreses Culturals (Catalan Institute of Cultural Industries)
• Jan Briers, President of the European Festivals Association
• Isabel Suqué Mateu, President of the Foundation Castell de Peralada
• Oriol Aguilà, Director of the Festival Castell de Peralada